


layers

by serenamarisa



Series: Robron Week 2020 [1]
Category: Emmerdale
Genre: Love at First Sight, M/M, Teen AU
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-05-11
Updated: 2020-05-11
Packaged: 2021-03-03 01:19:46
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,130
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24126499
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/serenamarisa/pseuds/serenamarisa
Summary: Robron Week 2020 day 1 - First meeting.Robert and Aaron meet at a festival and fate just wants to bring them closer and closer together.
Relationships: Aaron Dingle/Robert Sugden
Series: Robron Week 2020 [1]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1740853
Comments: 4
Kudos: 59





	layers

The first time in ages. Liam Gallagher was playing at Leeds festival and Aaron had actually managed to get tickets. Him and his group of friends were all going for all three days and it was finally here.

Aaron sat on the train surrounded by his mates and apparently everyone else who had managed to get festival tickets. The train was packed. Girls in tiny tops and tiny shorts, boys half-naked and carrying the weirdest things around.

A massive inflatable crocodile was wedged in between Aaron and Adam as they sat on the seat opposite his girlfriend, Victoria and her mate Amy. Amy definitely had a crush on Aaron. She kept winking at him and licking her lips – Victoria had obviously noticed too but wasn’t saying anything. Victoria and Adam both knew he was gay but obviously hadn’t passed the memo onto Amy who was still sat ogling at an uncomfortable Aaron.

“Oi, man.” Adam said excitedly next to him, “This is going to be the best weekend of our _lives_!” Aaron nodded, smiling and making a face at Victoria who just rolled her eyes. “In a few weeks you are gonna be back in a boring classroom learning about brains.” Adam snorted, “enjoy your freedom while it lasts.”

“It’s Psychology, Adam.” Aaron corrected him, “It’s not just about brains.”

Aaron had worked his butt off and had been accepted in the Royal Holloway College to study Psychology, it had been his dream. Finally he could leave the tiny Yorkshire village and do something for himself. Adam, however had flunked his exams and was set to working at the farm for the rest of his life. Not that he was complaining.

Victoria and Amy were a year below so they still had another year ahead of them to decide what they wanted to do – either stay working for their parents in the village or do something else.

“Well right now, I couldn’t care less,” Adam joked as the train slowed, “because we are here!”

Victoria and Amy wooped as they stood up and picked their stuff up from their feet, getting ready to leave the carriage.

-

“How _long_ is this line?” Aaron moaned as he dropped the bag he was barely holding up, “I swear we’ve been waiting days.”

The queue into the festival itself was looped around the arena several times and they hadn’t even got to the point to collect their wristbands yet. His legs and shoulders were screaming for rest, but the line seemed to keep moving but still going absolutely nowhere – meaning he could not sit down for a second.

“Aaron if I hear another complaint leave your mouth, it will be last thing you _ever_ complain about.” Victoria warned, giving him an evil look.

It was hot, sunny and they were all tired. None of them were going to get on when it was like this.

Suddenly, Victoria stood up straight and leaned over the temporary fencing to see someone ahead of them in the queue who were facing the opposite way.

“No way.” She said quietly, before shouting, “Robert!”

Aaron’s gaze shot up from where he was staring at the floor to a tall, blonde man with a smile on his face as he flirted with another girl.

He had heard of the infamous Robert Sugden. Victoria adored him but Andy an ongoing grudge, refusing to speak about him at most times. Robert had left the village with their mother after a nasty custody battle with their dad. Jack was given custody of Victoria but Andy and Robert were given their own choice, considering their age. Robert chose Sarah and Andy chose Jack - no surprises there.

Robert and Sarah moved away very soon after that – Victoria mentioned the south - and they’d barely been spoken about since. Aaron was only about 12 at the time so he had other things he thought would be better to do than worry about another family’s problems.

“Victoria?” Robert stared in disbelief, “What are you doing here?”

He apologised to the people in front of him as he pushed forward to lean over the barrier and give her a hug, “I would say you’ve grown but-”

Victoria jokingly punched him in the arm and smiled, “And you haven’t got any less annoying, I see.”

Robert scoffed and looked behind her, “These your friends?”

Victoria turned around and grabbed Adam by the arm, “This is my _boyfriend,_ Adam.”

Robert reached his arm out to shake Adam’s hand, looking him up and down.

"It’s so good to finally meet you.” Adam told him as he shook his hand eagerly, Robert smiled and nodded before looking over at Aaron.

Butterflies immediately filled his stomach. He felt himself blush under the stare of such a beautiful person, his green eyes twinkling in the light. Even with green glitter and paint stuck in his hair he was still absolutely perfect.

Aaron quickly cleared his throat and stepped forward, bringing his hand out to shake Robert’s, suddenly self-conscious about his palms that were most likely very sweaty. “Aaron.” He introduced himself, not tearing his gaze away from Robert’s who looked like he couldn’t look away either.

Amy’s voice ruined the moment and Robert’s eyes moved away from Aaron’s, “I’m Amy.” She said sweetly, “Victoria’s best friend.”

Robert laughed and greeted her back before Victoria spoke again.

“We’re celebrating Aaron and Adam’s – well mostly Aaron’s – A level results.” She exclaimed, smiling widely. “Aaron’s been accepted into a London uni!”

Robert’s eyes were back on Aaron’s again and he felt himself go even redder as he looked down at his feet.

“Is that so?” Robert said smoothly, still staring at Aaron, his lips upturned in a smile.

Aaron looked back up at Robert and his heart started beating hard in his chest and he smiled back and nodded. God, his lips were beautiful.

Suddenly a shout behind him made Robert turn quickly and wave. “I’ve got to go, Vic.” He apologised, looking back at his sister, “I’ll try to find you though, once we’re in.”

They said their quick goodbyes and Robert turned and pushed through the crowd again as it moved against him.

Their gazes caught again as the line moved, and Aaron couldn’t help but notice the smile on Robert’s face as he looked away.

-

Liam was performing on the second night so the first day just consisted of them looking around at all the small performers and seeing the prices of food.

They’d set up their tents by the wall separating the park but not too far away from the main stage so they could still hear the music.

Adam already had the cans of beer out and Amy and Victoria were painting each other’s faces. Aaron sat back on his camp chair and listened to Adam rambling on about something irrelevant as he soaked in the rare sunshine and smelled the smoke of barbecues in the atmosphere.

-

It was dusk and the music from the live performance was dying down as people were sat around their small campsites.

“Okay, never have I ever...” Amy started, “kissed a member of the same sex.”

Aaron downed the last of the beer in his can and finished with a refreshed sigh as he threw the empty can on the ground. Adam and Victoria burst into fits of laughter and Aaron smirked at them. Amy looked puzzled.

“Am I missing something?” she asked them, looking towards Victoria.

Victoria made eye contact with Aaron and he nodded, “Aaron’s gay, you div.” she told her with a laugh.

Amy’s head turned sharply to face him and he pretended to bow his head.

“Oh my god, I’m an idiot!” she exclaimed, burying her face in her hands.

Aaron leaned over and patted her shoulder, “Don’t worry, Amy.” He reassured her, “You’re not the only one. I can’t help I’m so irresistible.”

Adam snorted and sprayed the beer that was in his mouth all over the grass in front of them, earning him a disgusted response from the girls.

“Okay, my turn.” Aaron steered the conversation back. “Never have I ever-“

But someone behind Victoria’s head stole his focus. Robert was walking over to them, his muscly arms were flexing underneath a white shirt as he carried a bag over his shoulder, the glitter still evident on his face was glimmering in the small light of the fires.

“We’re waiting.” Amy’s voice appeared.

Aaron just gestured towards the man striding over and all their heads turned. Victoria stood up as he got to where they were sat.

“Victoria, guys.” He greeted them with a smile, glancing over at Aaron again, making his stomach do somersaults.

“Rob, how has your day been?” she asked, resting her hands on her hips.

Robert sighed, “Could’ve gone better. My mate and his girlfriend had a row.” He explained, “thought it would be better to leave them to their awkwardness for tonight.”

Victoria frowned, “Oh, that’s a shame. Where will you be sleeping?”

He shrugged and gestured towards their tents, “I was hoping you had room for a stowaway?”

Aaron gulped. Robert staying with them? He didn’t know how to feel. Before anyone could react, Victoria took his back of his shoulder and told him he was welcome.

“Hang on, which tent is he going to sleep in?” Adam asked, pointing to the three tents lined up next to them.

“Well he can share Aaron’s, can’t he?” Victoria answered.

All eyes were on him now. One pair of green eyes included a small smirk, too. They made eye contact and Aaron’s breath hitched. It was really the only option for them to share. Adam and Victoria were using the same tent and Amy and Aaron had brought their own.

“Yeah- yeah sure.” Aaron stuttered nervously as the small smirk turned into a grin.

“All sorted then!” Victoria said happily as she pulled Robert’s camp chair out from the side of his bag.

-

The tent felt a lot smaller with an added body. Robert’s presence was massively affecting Aaron. He didn’t even have much stuff it was just… the feeling of him laying right next to him made Aaron much more nervous than he should.

Aaron was laying on his back in his sleeping bag as he watched Robert add another jumper to his layers of clothes, underneath a sleeping bag and blanket.

“Do you have enough clothes?” Aaron teased jokingly, causing Robert to turn around mid-change.

“These are my night clothes.” Robert explained, “the rest are at my tent.”

Aaron nodded in understanding and Robert turned to face him once he’d gotten his jumper on. Their faces were very close and Aaron could almost feel Robert’s breath on his face, making his own breathing falter.

“So… are you here with anyone?” Aaron asked quickly, trying to break the tension, “Not _here_ here but like- at the festival.”

Robert shook his head, not looking away from Aaron’s eyes. Aaron smiled a bit at that but tried to play it off cool. “Just me and my mate wanted to have a catch up. Didn’t realise his girlfriend was part of the plan.” Robert explained.

Aaron sniggered. “Guess they come as a package deal.”

“I guess they do.” He whispered.

Another silence fell over them and Aaron awkwardly bit the inside of his lip. “What about Amy? Do you think she’s-”

“I don’t want to talk about girls.” Robert interrupted him.

“Well, what do you want to do?” Aaron retorted, watching as Robert’s gaze moved from his eyes to his lips. Aaron absent mindedly licked his lips ever so quickly before Robert surged forward, crashing their mouths together.

The air was kicked out of Aaron’s lungs as he realised what was happening. Robert Sugden was kissing him. Robert let out the smallest moan as he pushed on his lips more before pulling back.

Their eyes met again but this time, Robert’s looked more fearful. As if he were worried about what Aaron would think.

“Why did you stop?” Aaron whispered, looking back and forth between Robert’s pink lips and his eyes.

Apparently, that was all the information Robert needed as he let out a shaky breath and propped himself up on his elbow so he was hovering above Aaron, both of them smiling into another kiss.

Robert’s mouth parted slightly and Aaron felt his tongue across the tops of his lips as he deepened the kiss and brought his hand up to clasp the back of Robert’s head, gliding his fingers through his soft hair.

Aaron felt with his other hand around to where Robert’s jumper sat on his hip, trying to feel for the skin there. Damn, the layers.

Robert pulled back, his eyes still shut, “Layers.” He whispered, stifling a small laugh.

Aaron nodded in response and moved his hand onto Robert’s waist, above his jumper before pulling Robert back down to kiss him again.

-

It was cold. Aaron’s feet were turning into ice cubes by the second and the air gaps in his sleeping bag were just voids of below zero temperatures.

Shivering, he turned around to see Robert, curled up next to him, a jumper folded underneath his head as he breathed deeply.

Aaron shakily brought his hand out from his sleeping bag and shook Robert awake, watching as his eyes fluttered open and his legs started to stretch inside his sleeping bag.

“Robert?” he whispered, “Robert, do you have another jumper?”

Robert took a deep breath in as he lifted his head and threw the jumper that was underneath it on top of Aaron.

“What about a pillow?” Aaron asked, unfolding the jumper.

Robert smiled and opened his eyes wider, “I have you for that, don’t I?”

Aaron chuckled and quickly put the jumper on over his head, fidgeting as he got himself fully inside his sleeping bag again. He could feel Robert’s eyes on him as he settled onto his back.

Robert shifted and placed his head comfortably onto Aaron’s chest, letting out a contented sigh as he did so. Aaron weaved his arm out from underneath Robert and the sleeping bag to wrap it around Robert’s sleeping form, squeezing him gently as he closed his eyes and drifted off to sleep.

-

He awoke to birds chirping and people talking what seemed like right outside his tent. Aaron looked around and saw he was alone inside the tent and any evidence of another person being there had disappeared.

Looking at his watch, Aaron saw it was 6am. Way too early – but he could hear Adam and Victoria’s voices outside so he knew he wouldn’t get away with sleeping any longer.

He slowly got up and ducked out of the tent to see Adam and Victoria sat on their camp chairs, both holding a bowl of what looked like porridge.

“Good morning, my man!” Adam greeting a little too loudly for this early in the morning, “Would you like some slop made by the missus herself?”

Victoria gave him a playful slap on the knee and stood up to spoon a serving of the liquid into a bowl and handed it to Aaron as he brought out his own camp chair.

“Thanks.” He said as he sat down, grunting at the pain in his back.

“How did you sleep?” Victoria asked, crossing one leg over the other as she sat back down in her small chair.

“Yeah, fine.” Aaron answered, playing with the mixture in his bowl.

“I’m guessing Robert didn’t wake you when he left, then?” Adam said through a mouthful of porridge, “Disappeared without a trace.”

“He hasn’t _disappeared,_ Adam.” Victoria corrected, “I said he’s probably just gone back to his mates.”

Aaron hoped it wasn’t because of him. Maybe he’d woken up a lot more sober and realised that their activities last night was a mistake and he didn’t want to face them sober.

At least Adam and Victoria weren’t aware of what happened.

-

The rest of the festival was great. They saw a load of great artists perform, got drunk in the daytime and danced until they got warnings from the guards.

Robert hadn’t been seen again the rest of the weekend. Aaron knew it was by a massive chance that they would bump into him again, given the sheer amount of people at the festival but it didn’t stop his heart from lurching every time he saw a tall blonde man across the crowds.

_One month later_

Aaron knocked on the door of the small terraced house as he watched the taxi drive off. He was starting uni in a few days and had found a great deal on a room share in the outskirts of London- saving him from having to pay for accommodation in the university itself.

He saw movement on the other side of the blurred window and a lock clicked open as a guy with messy brown hair opened the door and looked at him with a puzzled face.

“I’m – um – I’m here about the room share?” Aaron nervously asked, worried for a second that he’d got the wrong house.

The man’s face suddenly changed into understanding and he stepped back, opening the door wider to let Aaron in.

“Of course!” he exclaimed as Aaron walked further in, “Completely slipped my mind that it was today.”

He shut the door behind Aaron and helped pick up his bags.

“I’m Max, by the way.” He introduced himself as he awkwardly held the bags in the small hallway, “My room’s the one next to yours.”

“Aaron.” He replied, smiling and looking at the decorated walls.

“I’ll show you to your room then!” Max said eagerly as he stood on the first step and made his way slowly up the stairs, hitting the bags on the bannister as he went.

Aaron could hear voices downstairs in the kitchen as he nervously followed Max up the stairs but was intrigued when he could hear the faint sounds of an Oasis song coming from behind a shut door.

Max stopped at the shut door and dropped the bags.

“I love this song.” Aaron told him as Max lifted his hand to turn the handle. He looked up and smiled.

“Oh nice, gives you something for you two to bond over.” He said as he opened the door and stepped into the room, “Rob, meet Aaron.” He called.

Aaron stepped into the small room behind him, nervously smiling but as soon as he saw the man sat at the desk, his face fell and the butterflies in his stomach fluttered out of their cage.

Robert spun around on his chair and his eyes were wide, but a smile was very much evident on his face. “A- Aaron?” he asked in disbelief.

“Robert.” Aaron breathed out, his heart hammering in his chest.

**Author's Note:**

> .... and they were roommates!
> 
> Thank you for reading!


End file.
